Atomizer



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A'roMrzEn f Karl Flury, dliswll, Zurich-Switzerland, assignor to Defensor A. G., Zurich, Switzerland Application June 6, 1955, Seal No. 513,530

12 ('Cl. 18S-J8) The present invention relates to an atomizer having arranged within a casing a motor-driven rotary member for producing an air current and for throwing out a. fluid against bafes which surround the rotary member at a distance and lie in the range of the air current.

.--Such atomizers are known and serve for instance for air-humidifying` in rooms. The disadvantage-of these atomizers resides in the comparatively great noise which is constantly heard during operation and is partially caused by breaking up iluid on the bailles, whereby parts of :the apparatus start to oscillate which, assisted by the casing as a resonator, are liable to amplify the partly unavoidable noises still more.

The present invention `aims at a substantial attenuation of the audible noises to such extent'that theatomizer may be operated even in quiet rooms, say, living rooms and oces, without causingdisturbance by its noise.

With the atomizer according to the invention this ob ject is essentially achieved in that means consisting of sound-absorbing material are provided within the casing 35 ing out of the internal casing 35 Fixed, said hub by means of hollow rivets 52 is a rotary member `53---57' serving to produce an air current through the casing 11,v

in order to attenuate the noises arising in the operation of the atomizenand that at least one part of these means is designed and arranged 'in such manner as to be ablev at the same time to eliminate larger liquid drops from the fluid mist, by "deecting the mist.

Further features of the invention will appear from thev claims, description and accompanying drawing which latter represents by pure way of example two preferred forms of embodiment incorporating the invention;

In said annexed drawing:

Fig. 1 shows partly'in lateral view and partly invertical section the first form of embodiment of the latom-n Fig. 2 shows infsirnilar representation part `of the` second form of embodiment. s

The atomizer shown in Fig. lcomprises an outer c :as-` ing 11, 12 consisting ofa tank-shaped :bottom part 11` and a toppart 12 provided with a centralfaperture .1 3.- The bottom part 11 of said casing serves'as receptacle for a uid 14v to be atomized, say, water. The top'part 12 of the casing is mounted on a frame ring 15 having attached theretoa few tubular legs 16 each of which is` supported on the'bottom of the lowerpart 11 by means ofa foot 17 of sound-deadening material, say, rubberlike plastics. p bottom part 11' and the top part l2or'annular frame is ari` air admission gap which extends round the casing 11, 12. The inlet path 19 for the air current is arranged between the circumferential wall of thebottom part `11 and a circumferential wall of 'the annular frame 15,'s`erving as partition.v Thisinlet path, of annular crosssection, extends round the circumference of the casing and vincludes an air iilter21'toretain larger dust particles of theentering air. The ilter21. is formed by around brush extending along the 'periphery ofthe casing and ljestfl ing with its bristlesof; say, I'pc'alyetliyleiie, both against Provided between theu'pperrirnof the 60 l Patented Feb. y24, 1959 t `2 I the circumferential wall of the casing bottom part 411 as well as against the partition 20 of the annular lframe 15. Said brush 21 is supported by several holding lugs 22 provided on a supporting ring 23 connected to the annular 5 frame 15, on which the bristles of the brush 12 can rest in the space between the individual lugs 22.

The interior of casing 11, 12 includes an internal housing which comprises two parts 31 and 32, the bottom part 31 being attached to the annular frame 15 by several ,1 Claims priority application. Switzerland April 15, 1955 `0 bolts 33. The mternal housing 31, 32 contains anelec.

tric driving motor 34 with vertical shaft 35. The motor 34. has two casing parts 36 and 37 fitted with matched ilanges 38 and 39 interconnected by means of (not visible) hollow rivets. Riveted to the bottom of 15 part 31 of the internal housing 31, 32 are several bolts 40 each having an upwardly projecting extension 41 of smaller diameter. These extensions 41 protrude with clearance through said hollow rivets on said flanges 38 and 39. Rings 42 consisting of some resilient rubberlike material, preferably synthetic material, are

pushed onto each extension 41 and clamped between the thicker bolt bottom 40 and the iange 39 or between the diange 38 and a disk 43 which is secured to the extension 41, for instance by means of a -spring clamping disk 44.v

In this way the motor 34 is resiliently mounted with re-` 3,9, ing s1, sz.

The upper end of the motor shaft carries a blower wheel for cooling the motor 34, while a hub 51' consisting of some resilient, sound-absorbing material isA firmly mounted on the lower end of the shaft 35 project- 12 and to throw out uid. Said rotary member includes a disk-shaped, Vslightly conical part 53 which, :together with a suction cone 54, open below and dipping into the fluid 14, consists of aisingle piece `of sheet-metal. Furthermore,-

said rotary member includesa second disk-shaped part 555 provided with fan vanes 56. The twopai'ts 53 and-'55 are superimposed and lie dat on each other with tension 4,5 under" the .influence oftheir ownelasticity' in ordertoattenuate the oscillation of the rotary -member by friction o f. the Vparts 53 `and 55 against eachY other. Toward ther centre of the disk 55ja,collar 57 is formed which, tight-'fA ly surrounding vthe suction cone` 54noutside,"is located 5,0. abovethe level of fluid 14 and is intended for` throwing off by centrifugal force any Huid-rising outside the lcone 54. The hub 51 is provided with several outstanding er# tensions 58 which maybe removed as required for the purpose of balancing' the whole rotor."y s.

,Located in the centreof the casing bottompart-ll is `a cup 6 0 havinga circular` wall surroundingrth'e suction conef54-at a distance and vprojecting beyond the'level o f the spray collar 57 to catchfthe uid thrown from collar 11. The annular wall of the beaker 60l has several open- 57,'iriorder to avoid its'impinging with considerable noise against the circumferential wall of thecasing bottomp'artv abovethe tank bottom and below the level of fluid 14 in 't such a way that any impurities, such asfdust, bres,-e tc., i lying either on the bottomof 'the lowerpartf11and/or iioatngfon the fluid 14 cannot reach the 'interior `of lth` e` cup 6l) and then be thrown out. Further, several radially 1 extendingribs 62 arermly arranged on the bottom of The rotary member 53-57 is surrounded at a distance by an atomizer rim 65 i. e. a disintegrator ring which, by

means of some resilient members 66 of sound-absorbing material, is supported on the annular frame 15, as shown at the right in Fig. 1. The atomizer rim 65 has a great number of outwardly pressed lugs 67 and passage openings 68 therebetween. The rim 65 may consist of sheetmetal and be preferably provided with a covering of sound-absorbing material, such as polyethylene; but it may also be made of sound-absorbing synthetic material. The lateral faces of the lugs 67, or the outer faces of the covering provided thereon, form baflies adapted to atomize the uid thrown off the circumferential rim of the rotary member 53-57. I'he already mentioned partition 20 of the annular frame likewise encloses the rotary member 53,--57 and is located at some distance outside the atomizer rim 65. The inner side of the partition is covered with a sleeve 69 consisting of some sound-absorbing material, being upwardly extended and covers with its upper part 70 the joint between the casing top part 12 and the annular Iframe 15, rendering them tight. The inner surface of the bottom part 69 of said sleeve forms a further baille for intercepting larger iluid drops which pass through the openings 68 of the atomizer rim 65 and are not carried along by the rising air current.

Formed at the annular frame 15, adjacent to partition 20, is an annular collector trough 71 into which the fluid thrown toward the sleeve 69 and the accumulated condensate may ow off noiselessly. From the trough 71 the uid can return to the casing bottom part 11 through the tubular legs 16 and the hollow feet 17. To that effect the feet 17 are provided with lateral passage openings 72.

Provided between the circumferential wall of the casing top part 12 and the circumferential wall of the internal housing 31, 32 there is an outlet path 75 of annular crosssection for the air current produced by means of the rotary member 53-57 and the fluid mist caused by atomizing. In this outlet path 75 there is a baffle 76 consisting of a sound-absorbing material, say, polyethylene or the like, preferably in the form of an annular disk seated firmly under the influence of its own elasticity in a peripheral groove 77 of the internal housing part 31. Said annular disk 76. is stilened by ribs 78 formed thereon; it prevents direct escape of the noise from the air outlet path 75, unavoidable in liuid atomizing, and deflectsthe Huid mist carried along with the air current in such manner as to eliminate larger liuid drops therefrom. Located within the detlection range of the bafe 76 is the top part 70 of the sleeve 69 consisting of sound-absorbing material, on the wall opposite the baffle 76, whereby noises possibly caused by air turbulence will be damped. For the same purpose several guide vanes 79 are rigidly mounted in the outlet'v path 75 to counteract the rotation of the air flowing out. These guide vanes 79 are fastened to the hoodshaped top part 32 of the internal housing. The hood 32 closes the internal housing 31, 32 upwards and consists, together with the guidevanes 79, of some sound-absorbing material.

Thev atomizer has a strap'81 designed as a handle of resilient sound-absorbing material. Provided at the ends of said strap 81 are 'two trunnions 82 engaging correspending recesses. in the circumferential wall of the bottom part 31 of the internal housing. Furthermore, said strap 81 has at each end portion two cams 83 and 84 which engage over a shoulder at the periphery of the hood 32 or at the upper rimV of the top part 12 of the outercasing 11, 12 and secures in position the hood 32 and casing part 12under the inuence of the elasticity of the strap. Interposed between the inner housing part 31 and the hood 32 is moreover a resilient gasket 85.

The already mentioned bolts 33 are hollow and are connected also by means of hollow screws 90 to the partition. 20. of the annularY frame 15 and to the sleeve'69. In each` of the recesses. of the screws 90 of, say, two diametrically opposite bolts 33,. there is a pin 91 slidably guided lengthwise and carrying at its outward end a pushbutton 92 with a latchme'mber 93. The reduced portion of the pin 91 has arranged around it a coil spring 94 located "within the hollow yspace of the related screw and rests with one end against a shoulder of screw 90 and with the other end against a shoulder of pin 91. Said spring 94 tends to hold the latch member 93 in engagement with the curled rim 96 of the casing bottom part 11 and to push the button 92 inwards into the air admission gap 18. Thus the bottom part 11 of the outer casing is removably secured to the annular frame 15 and hence to the casing top part 12. By pushing the buttons 92 inwards against the action of the springs 94, the latch members 93 can be brought out of engagement with the rim 96, whereupon lthe casing top part 11 serving as uid receptacle may be separated from the rest of the atomizer. To prevent said pins 91 from passing completely out of the screws 90, each pin has at its end a stop member 97.

Through the hollow space of a screw 90 provided with a pin 91 the electric connecting cable, not shown, for the motor may be introduced.

The action of the aforedescribed atomizer is known per se. The rotary member 53-57 produces an air current in the direction of the arrows indicated in Fig. l. Further, by means of the rotating suction cone, uid 14 is delivered upwards and thrown out by the disk-shaped part 53 of the rotary member 53-57. The lluid film thus produced and traveling beyond the peripheral rim of the part 53 is broken up partly by centrifugal action and partly by the air current and converted into mist droplets and larger fluid drops, which are thrown against said bales and thus become further broken up. The produced fluid mist is carried off by the air current, whereby due to the deiiection at the baffle plate 76 any larger drops carried along will be eliminated.

In addition to the constructional simplicity, the atomizer as described hereinbefore has the advantage of being practically noiseless in operation. The round brush, serving at the same time as a filter, attenuates by its contact with the circumferential wall of the casing part 11 and partition 20 any oscillation setting up in these parts and prevents the exit of noises from the interior of the atomizer through the air inlet path 19. Inasmuch as the impact surfaces are provided on sound-absorbing material, the noises per se caused by the impact of the uid are already considerably reduced. The resilient supporting members 66 for the atomizer rim 65 keep any oscillation of the latter away from the other parts of the apparatus. The sleeve 69 of sound-absorbing material absorbs on the one hand the impact noises of the larger fluid drops and on the other hand any oscillation arising in the partition 20. The baflle 76 not only prevents direct exit of unavoidable atomizer noises through the path 75, but

at the Same time damps anyroscillation setting up in the inner housing part 31. The upper part 70 of the sleeve 69 not only improves the sealing between the annular frame 15 andthe casing part 1,2, but also damps oscillation of these parts and the noises otherwise arising on dellection of the air current. The hood 32 of the inner housing 31, 32, consisting of sound-absorbing material, keeps back the noises caused by motor 34 and blower wheel 50 within the casing. Any vibrations of the motor 34 will be kept away from the inner housing 31, 32 by the resilient sound-absorbing disks 42 and gasket 45. The elastic and sound absorbingv hub 51 prevents the motor vibrations from being transferred onto the rotary member 53,-57 whichv itself is damped against oscillation by the resilient contacting o fits parts 53 and 55.

,It may prove advantageous to have one disk-shaped part 5 5 ,and the fan vane 56 connected.r thereto provided with a layer of sound-absorbing` material, or itself made of some sound-absorbing material.

"The elastic strap 81 secures ina simple manner the relative position ofthe parts 12, 31 and 32 so as to prevent anyy chatter thereof. Similarly, the feet 17 prevent any chatter of the legs 16 on the bottom; of the casing The Vconstruction of the hub 51 of resilient material involves the further advantage that practically the rotary member 53-57, with lower part 11 of the outer casing 11, 12 removed, cannot be deformed by blows or knocks, because it is held resiliently.`

The airtight sealing of the inner housing 31, 32 achieved by gasket 45 against the suction side, i. e. the low-pressure side of the rotary member 53-57, has for its purpose to prevent any air owing out downwards from the inner housingbecause otherwise the moisture-laden air would continue to ow itno the inner housing between bottom part 31 and hood 32, and the motor 34 would come to lie in a moist atmosphere.

It is known that, when atomizing fluids, a cooling eiect will arise due to evaporation of a part of the liuid droplets. The air leaving the atomizer as saturated with 2O moist mist is under circumstances appreciably cooler than the air drawn into the apparatus. Such cooling effect may often be desirable. In case it is undesirable, a heater 99 may be provided in the current path 75 of the air, as indicated in Fig. 1 by chain-dotted lines. This `heater preferably consists of electrical resistance elements which are arranged insulated in tubes. l

The second form of embodiment illustrated in Fig. 2 shows basically the same structure as in Fig. 1. Like reference numerals' indicate like parts in the two forms of embodiment It `is presumed that the atomizer represented in Fig. 2 incorporates a heater (not shown) similar to the device 99 of the irst form. The difference of the second form consist in the follo'wingV In this case the motor 34 has a hollow shaft 35a through which passes a rod,101, preferably of non-magnetic material. The lower extremity of said rod carries a valve 102 of resilient material, which may be brought into contact with the inner surface of the suction cone 54 with a view to stop the delivery of uid to the diskshaped part 53 ofjthetrotaryimmber 53-57. By lifting the rod 101 the valve 102 can be brought into the open position as shown by broken lines. In this open position the upper face of the valve 102 can make contact with the lower extremity of the hollow shaft 35a in order to seal the inner space thereof against ingress of iiuid. Within the range ofthe upper face of the valve 102, this is provided with a spraying collar 103 serving to throw out any fluid present.

At the top end of the hollow shaft 35a, an armature 105 of an electro-magnet 106 is connected to said rod 101. The coil 107 of the electro-magnet is mounted firmly above thev motor 34 by meansy ofa holding member 108 and some spacer bolts-,109,'1of which only one is shown. The armature 105 is freely movable lwith, respect to the coil,107 andj can turn along with Nthe rod l101 upon rotation of .the jhollow shaft'35a. By energizing themagnet 106, thevalve 102'can be brought into its open position, while with magnet de-energized, it takes up the closing position by gravity..

Fixed to the'hood 32 of the inner housing 31, 32 is a lmulti-step electric switch 111 Which can be actuated 'by means of a rotary knob 112. The switch is in connection with the coil 107 of the electro-magnet 106 and with the heater 99. The heater is preferably of such design that selectively only part of the same or the whole heater may be switched-on according to the position of the switch 111.

In one position of the switch 111 the motor 34 is switched olf, while it is in operation in all other positions, provided the apparatus is joined to a suitable source of energy. In a second position of the swich 111 the motor 34 is on and the magnet 106 is energized, so that the valve 102 will take up its open position. The apparatus then works exactly similarly to that described with reference to Fig. 1, in that only air is delivered and fluid is atomized. In a third position of the switch 111 still a part of the electric heater 99;' is"dditionally switched-on in such a way that cooling ofjth'e air current taking place when the liquidl atomizes, will be substantially nullied by suitable heating!E In a -fourth position of the switch 111 the whole heateris'switched-on so 4that the air current saturated withuid mist and fiowing out o f the apparatus may be warmed additionally for the purpose of heating rooms. In a iifth position of the switch 111 the magnet 106 remains de-energized, while the motor 34 operates, a'nd part of the heater 99 is switched-on for the purpose of producing a warm ,air current. Inra sixth position of the'switch the whole heater 99 may be in operation, while Athe magnet 106 remainsunexcited. Finally a further position of the switch is conceivable, in which the motor operatesfror producing an aircurrent which'is' neither heated nor humiditied.

As compared withgthey'forin of embodiment in Fig. 1, the apparatus shown in Fig. 2 requires a comparatively smalladditionalexpenditure, but presents the.. advantage of having a greater varietyofapplications.

WhatIclaimis: A.

l; An atomizer for atomizing liquids and discharging the same in the formof an aerosol mist, comprising an outer casing having a discharge openingland an air inlet opening, an internal housing within and spaced from said casing to provide an `exit path between said casing and said internal housing, a motor incorporated within said internal housing, ,areceptacle for liquidl in the lower part of said casingfsaid motor including rotary means for moving air through saidv casing from `said inlet opening to said discharge opening and rotary atomizer means extending into the liquid f oryintroducing liquidparticles tosaid moving air vtoform a mist therein, at least one annular baie ofelastic and` sound-absorbing material provided in said exitpath andseated by its own elasticity in va vcircumferential,recess provided in the external periphery of said internal'hciusing, saidv baille serving to force the mist vin a curved path and thus prevent direct exit of heavierparticles Vin the mist and'also prevent transfer of high pitch atomizer, noise through said discharge opening, and means for noiselessly conducting condensate and otherliquid droplets back to said liquidjreceptacle. f g i 2. An ratomizer as defined in claim 1, wherein a gap between said internalhousing and a housing of said motor toward said rotary means is sealed air-tight byv sound-absorbing material.

3. An atomizer for atomizing liquids and discharging the same in the form of` an aerosol mist comprising, an outer circular casing having a, discharge opening and an air inlet opening, said outer casing including a bottom pai-tand a top part, Isaid inlet'opening being defined by a gap between said bottom and ltop-parts and extending j circumferentiallyV around said casing, acircular parti- 55' tion wallv Isecured, byan air-tight Vsealat the lower edge of-said toppart and'being,arranged` within `and spaced.

Y brush serving to filter the air and to damp vibrations of the adjacent walls, an internal housing within and spaced from said outer casing to provide an exit path between said outer casing and internal housing, means for moving air through said outer casing from 'said inlet opening to said discharge opening, a receptacle for liquid and means for noiselessl'y conducting condensate and otherv liquid droplets back to'sid receptacle.

4. Anatomizer as definedv in claim 3 wherein said atomizer means comprises a disintegrator ring arranged within and spaced from said partition wall, the inner surface of said partition Wall being provided with a covering of sound-absorbing material to form a sounddeadimpinging surface -forvthe liquid particles thrown out through said disintegrator ring. y

5. An atomizer as defined in claim 3 wherein said partition wall joins with its lower edge to a collector troughfor the condensate and liquid droplets, said means for noisele'ssly conducting said condensate and droplets to said receptacle being tubular legs supporting said trough, the lower end of said legs being provided with feet lof sound-absorbing material and standing on the bottom of said receptacle.

6, An atomizer for atomizing liquids and discharging the saine in the form of an aerosol mist comprising, an outer casing, said casing having a ,discharge opening and an air inlet opening, an internal housing within and spaced from said outer casing to provide an exit path between said outer casing and said internal housing, means for moving air through said outer casing from said inlet opening to said discharge opening, a receptacle vfor liquid in the lower part of said outer casing, atomizer means for introducing liquid particles to said moving air to form a mist therein, said atomizer means including a pair of disk-shaped superimposed parts which by their own elasticity lie tlat against each other so as to damp vibration by frictionof said parts on each other, at leastr one baffle of sound-absorbing material, said balile being provided in said exit path to force the mist in a curved path' and thus prevent direct exit of heavier particles in the mist and also' exit of high pitch atomizer noise through said discharge opening, `and means for noiselessly conducting condensate and other liquid droplets back into said receptacle.

7. An atomizer as defined in claim 6 wherein one of said disk-shaped parts is provided with several fan vanes and consists together with these of soundlabsorbing material.

8. An atomizer for atomi'zing liquids and discharging the same in kthe form of an aerosol mist comprising an outer casing having a discharge opening and an air inlet opening, an internal housing within and spaced from said casing t-o provide an exit path between said casingy and said internal housing, a motor incorporated within said internal housing, a receptacle for liquid in the lower part of said outer casing, said motor including a rotary vaned disk memberV in the lower part of said housing for moving air through saidcasing from said inlet opening to said discharge opening',- s'aid rotary member also including a suction cone open at its `lower end and dipping into the liquid in said receptacle, said suction cone' and vaned diskY member serving respectively to raise the liquid in said cone and introduce liquid particles to the l moving air to form a mist therein, a valve arranged movably within said cone to control liquid tlow through said cone, said motor having a hollow shaft supporting said .cone and disk member and through which passes a rod Yown elasticity in a circumferential recess provided in the lexternal periphery of said internal housing, said baille serving to force the mist in a curved path and thus pre- `vent direct exit of heavier particles in the mist and also prevent transfer of high pitch atomizer noise through said discharge opening, and means for noiselessl'y conducting condensate and other liquid droplets back to said liquid receptacle.

9. An atomizer as defined in claim 8 wherein said rod at its upper end is providedwith an armature of an electromagnet, said armature being freely movable and rotatable with respect to a stationary magnet coil and by whose excitation said valve can be moved with respect to said cone to open and close the same.

10. An atomizer as dened in claim 9 wherein said valve is movable to a position closing off the lower end of said hollow shaft.

1l. An atomizer as defined in claim 9 and which further includes an electric heater incorporated Within said casing to enable heating of the moving air, and electric switching means for controlling energization of said magnet coil and said motor and said electric heater.

12. An atomizer as defined in claim 8 wherein said suction cone is surrounded by a stationary annular wall having passage openings for the liquid spaced from the bottom of said receptacle so that any impurities lying on the bottom of said receptacle or floating on the surface of the liquid will be prevented from entering said cone and interfering with operation of said valve.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,092,079 Reeder Mar. 31, 1914 1,892,694 Carter Ian. 3, 1933 2,028,444 Feldermann Jan. 21, 1936 2,047,025 Gilbert July 7, 1936 2,114,780 Iuelson Apr. 19, 1938 2,157,416 Kjos May 9, 1939 2,159,024 Hersperger May 23, 1939 2,189,021 Schury Feb. 6, 1940 2,218,198 Harris Oct. 15, 1940 2,233,167 Holm-Hansen Feb. 25, 1941 2,780,009 Stickel Feb. 5, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 249,776 Switzerland May 1, 1948 260 510 Switzerland July 16, 1949 990,353 France June 6, 1951 

